How Knowing Your Family Health History Can Help You Stay Healthy

Your family health history is more than just a record of your relatives’ conditions. It is a powerful tool that can help you take proactive steps to protect your own health. By understanding patterns in your family, you can make informed choices, get timely screenings, and prevent or manage conditions early.

Why Family Health History Matters

Genes play a role in many health conditions and can give us clues about our own health. Genetic counseling combines family history with shared lifestyle and environmental factors. Knowing your family health history can help you:

• Identify conditions you may be at higher risk for

• Make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk

• Decide if genetic testing or counseling could be helpful

• Plan for early screening or preventive care

Who Might Benefit from a Family History Consult?

A consult is helpful if you:

• Have relatives with known genetic conditions

• Notice the same unusual health condition in multiple family members

• Want to understand your risks even if no one in your family has been diagnosed

• Are looking for proactive ways to take charge of your health

What Can You Expect?

During your consult, we will:

• Review your family health history together

• Discuss what it might mean for your personal health

• Explain any testing or preventive steps that could be considered

• Give you actionable guidance so you can take control of your health

The Takeaway

Understanding your family health history is about empowerment. It is not about predicting your future. It is about giving you the knowledge and tools to make proactive choices today that can help prevent or manage conditions tomorrow.

If you want to learn more about how your family history can guide your health decisions, a Genetics Consult at Empower Genetics can help you take proactive steps with confidence.

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “About Family Health History” https://www.cdc.gov/family-health-history/about/index.html

Medline Plus. “Genetic Testing.” https://medlineplus.gov/genetictesting.html